‘After skating to a scoreless 2nd period, Tyler Myers put Buffalo ahead very early in the final frame, ripping a shot into the Tampa Bay net 52 seconds in. Just moments after nearly tapping in a goal of his own, Thomas Vanek gained possession behind the Lightning net and fed Myers near the top of the faceoff circle. The Buffalo defenseman, after taking two penalties in the 2nd period, gave his team the lead for the first time.’

‘Tyler Myers put broke a 1-1 tie and put Buffalo in the lead for good on the first shot for the Sabres in the final period, just 52 seconds after the faceoff. Myers took a pass from behind the Lightning net and one-timed it behind Mathieu Garon from the right faceoff circle.’

‘Tampa Bay came into the game with a league-high 69 goals scored, with their 33 third-period goals also tops in the NHL. Not only did the Sabres limit them to just one goal on the night, they held the Lightning off the scoresheet in the third after Tyler Myers scored what would end up being the game winner just 52 seconds into the final stanza.’

‘“You need to have belief,” winger Drew Stafford said Monday. “As bad as it gets, obviously we’re not going to give up. We have the right guys in here that we can turn it around. We’ve done it before. … We’ve got roughly 30 games or so left and it’s one of those things where it has to start tomorrow.”’

‘“It was frustrating,” admitted Pardy, who was paired Monday with Mike Weber. “It’s always frustrating when you get sent down. It’s never easy to take but you have to use the time there to move forward and help yourself get better.”’

‘“I know patience isn’t big with anybody,” interim coach Ron Rolston said Monday inside the First Niagara Center after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s tilt in Tampa Bay against the Lightning. “It’s not big with me. It’s not big with fans. It’s not big with media. But right now, it’s going to be a process.”’

‘“You’re always expecting injuries,” said Pardy, who played his 184th NHL game on Feb. 5 before returning to the AHL. “It’s going to happen at some point. You got to be ready for it either way. You don’t know when it’s going to come. You never want to see what’s going on right now here with this start. It’s tough for everybody. There’s an opportunity for me here to come in and try to help out where I can.”’

‘“We don’t have to kid ourselves, we have what, 29 games left? We probably need to win 21 of them to even have a chance. It’s a big task, but I think this is a group that can put a streak together, but it starts with one. Not just to win, but it starts with having a good win, playing a good 60 minutes. A lot of our mistakes come from us turning it over and not getting out of the zone, but I don’t think we’re that far off. I know we’ve said that for week now and we keep losing, but as long as you believe, and I think the guys do then there’s a chance.”’

‘ek was given another day off after the team had Sunday off. When I asked him if he was hurting he said, “Yes, that’s basically what it is, I’m trying to get better and ready for tomorrow.” Ron Rolston said, “He’s fine, just kind of a rest day, basically maintenance day for him.”’

‘Pardy (3/29/84, 6’4″, 226 lbs.) will join the Sabres for the second time this season after tallying an assist in his Sabres debut on Feb. 5 at Ottawa. Pardy has five points (1+4) and a plus-1 rating in 11 AHL games with the Americans.’